Warner, notorious for his foul-mouthed and deeply personal abuse of opponents, was playing in a club match in Sydney when he threw a tantrum and walked off the field.

Sledging from Jason Hughes, the older brother of Phillip, has prompted David Warner to temporarily leave the field mid-innings while playing grade cricket in Sydney.

Warner removed himself from play during Saturday’s morning session at Pratten Park in the city’s west.

Jason Hughes is brother of former Aussie star Philip Hughes, who died four years ago after being struck by a bouncer and was one of Warner’s closest friends.

David Warner and Phillip Hughes were the best friends. Photo: Cricket Australia

Batting for Randwick-Petersham on his 32nd birthday during a fixture against Western Suburbs, Australia’s sacked vice-captain asked for permission to leave the field.

He returned to the crease and scored 157, producing his first red-ball century since the Cape Town cheating scandal.

Some media outlets claimed Hughes called Warner a “disgrace”.

But according to Cricket Australia’s official website that Hughes was initially goading Warner and daring him to attack the bowling and risk being dismissed, But the chat turned personal and Warner suddenly marched towards the pavilion.

NSW players, including David Warner, and medical staff assist Phillip Hughes at the SCG.

It is thought Hughes’s verbals were not in reference to the ball-tampering furore that resulted in Cricket Australia banning Warner for 12 months.

Warner was friends with Phillip Hughes, who tragically died after being struck on the neck during a Sheffield Shield match in 2014.

Hughes could yet be booked under the competition’s code of conduct but both clubs are keen to move on and it’s understood the umpires are unlikely to level a charge.

Warner, shielded by teammates while walking off the field at tea and stumps, refused to comment when approached.

The incident comes two days before CA releases the much-anticipated findings from reviews into its on-field and corporate cultures.

They were commissioned after Warner, captain Steve Smith and Test team-mate Cameron Bancroft were banned as a result of the sandpaper debacle in South Africa.

Earlier, Warner and South African player Quinton De Kock almost came to blows in the stairwell outside the dressing-room in Durban earlier this year.

Later in that series, Warner, captain Steve Smith and batsman Cameron Bancroft were all suspended after Bancroft was spotted with sandpaper as the Aussies tried to promote reverse swing.

Warner has played some Twenty20 cricket and last week signed to play for Sylhet Sixers in the Bangladesh Premier League early next year.